Fresh Air Weekend: 'Supermensch,' Conference Calls And John Waters

In addition to managing careers, Gordon (left) was also instrumental in creating personas — he was the one who dreamed up some of Alice Cooper's (right) onstage antics.

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Originally published on June 14, 2014 10:00 am

Fresh Air Weekendhighlights some of the best interviews and reviews from past weeks, and new program elements specially paced for weekends. Our weekend show emphasizes interviews with writers, filmmakers, actors, and musicians, and often includes excerpts from live in-studio concerts. This week:

Invisible 'Supermensch' Avoided The Spotlight While Making Others Famous: Mike Myers' documentary Supermensch chronicles the work of Shep Gordon, who has "jump-started" the careers of superstar musicians and chefs. Now, it's Gordon's turn for a taste of celebrity.

Have We Reached The End Of The Line For The Conference Call?: Fresh Air tech contributor Alexis Madrigal considers why people still jump on frustrating conference calls. While tech startups aim to kill the PIN, he says, the phone bridges generations.

John Waters Hitchhikes Across America, And Lives To Write About It: The 68-year-old film director hitchhiked from Baltimore to San Francisco for his book Carsick. He says hitchhiking is "the worst beauty regimen ever" and admits he always kept his luggage with him.